'Cmdr. Schmitt is off of watch'

By Pierrette J. ShieldsLongmont Times-Call

Posted:
08/01/2013 07:16:44 PM MDT

Updated:
08/02/2013 01:06:01 PM MDT

From left, Jim Schmitt, Marilyn Schmitt, Mitchell Winner and Garrett Winner hold their hands over their hearts as "taps" is played at Herman C. "Smitty" Schmitt III's funeral service Thursday at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel in Longmont. Schmitt served 46 years as a volunteer with the Longmont Police Department reserve program, which he helped found in 1966.
(Kai Casey)

LONGMONT -- The sorrowful tones of "Taps" bid farewell Thursday morning to a man who spent 46 years of his life leading the Longmont Police Department's reserve program.

Herman "Smitty" Schmitt was a reserve officer who helped to found the program in 1966. He spent much of his tenure at the Longmont Police Department as a captain or commander.

"I was always very impressed with the amount of energy he had for the role," said retired Longmont Police Sgt. Gary Schmidt, who served on the American Legion Honor Guard, which also provided funeral honors for Schmitt, who died Sunday at Longmont United Hospital.

Schmidt served as a liaison between the department and the reserve program, which he said disbanded upon Schmitt's retirement in 2009.

Members of the American Legion Post 32 Honor Guard fire off a three volley rifle salute at Herman C. "Smitty" Schmitt III's funeral service Thursday at the Ahlberg Funeral Chapel in Longmont.
(
Kai Casey
)

"He was always the boss, the guy who made sure things got done," Schmidt said.

Longmont Police Sgt. Joel Post said Schmitt was friendly to everyone.

"It is like someone said (during the service,) if you knew him, he was your friend. He was really friendly to everybody," he said.

The reserve program used to number up to 30 officers, who would train alongside professional officers and assist as needed.

Schmitt worked for IBM for 26 years and retired in 1992. He went on to start his own small handyman business called Smitty Does It.

Active and retired police officers attended the funeral on Thursday at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel along with family and friends.

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Longmont Police dispatch aired an End of Watch call for Schmitt, ending the call "Cmdr. Schmitt is off of watch. May he rest in peace."

The police honor guard presented U.S. flags to each of his six grandchildren and his brother. The American Legion presented a flag to his wife, Donna.

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